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Ravana spin
Oh no, fellows! The effigies have nothing to do with corruption or other ills afflicting society. It has nothing to do with Osama bin Laden also. Politicians too are not being targetted as the personification of “all things bad and sinful”. It’s all very religious. The reason behind the phenomenon is not very easy to understand. Ask religious gurus or spiritual leaders and they insist it has something to do with stars and planets. Their direction and movement demands the cremation of the other five also, along with Ravana, his son Meghnad and brother Kumbakaran. Okay, there’s another attraction. This year some of the organisers are all armed to set “Lanka” ablaze. “For taking the Dussehra celebrations a step forward, we are preparing a whole new Lanka this time,” says veteran effigy-maker Anil Kumar. Complete with four domes, the Lanka has equal number of pillars and a gigantic gate with an impressive umbrella. Lord Hanuman will set it on fire with his tail as a part of the Dussehra celebrations. After religiously completing his arduous job at the Panjab University campus, Kumar has already moved on towards some of the villages situated within city’s limits. His mission: To prepare more effigies, and more “Lankas”. Another thing, fellows! Technology is catching up with the celebrations. In fact, the good old baddie of great Indian mythology Ravana is turning hi-tech. Instead of just standing there, he’s all set to spin his head before blowing out fire from his angry mouth and eyes. “This time, the transformed Lanka king will rotate his head furiously on the pivot of his neck after he is struck by the arrow of his deeds,” says artiste Arif. “For the purpose of gearing up the effigies to spin, we use the mechanism of gears. Even, the rockets and other fireworks are getting better with each
passing year”. In city all the way from Meerut especially for preparing effigies, Arif asserts, “Until a few years ago things were not so complicated. You simply had to stuff fireworks in the models after erecting them with bamboo sticks. But now, the process of effigy-making is going hi-tech.” Smiling he adds, “The artistes
are now competing with the special-effects in flicks and serials. They have
to make sure that the effigies react and are not expressionless.” Now,
that’s really expressive. |
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Pious Path
Living up to the image of a goddess in Ramlila days makes him all the more pious. Devoted to the ten-day role he plays annually, Devinder Kumar of Sector 29 refuses to even touch a cigarette. So, no wining and dining? Oh, it’s a big “no” for this staunch stage artiste. And he does it year after year, devoutly. Right fellows. He may be blowing up in smoke sometimes as many as 12 cigarettes on a “normal” day. But mesmerised by the role he adopts, the pack has no place. As he goes about playing other earthly roles of a family man on the mundane stage of life during the rest of the day, even the sinful thought of puffing a cigarette refuses to cross his faithful mind.
Alright, you can call him a devoted actor successfully moulding himself in the goddess’ character, but that’s not what he says. With folded hands and eyes fixed before his feet, he insists, “It’s nothing but divine intervention that makes me give up materialistic pleasures in real life.” Well, he is not the only one. Even as the crowd in days of “direct-to-home” signal is gradually losing its devotion towards the annual enactment of the great Indian epic, the dedication of the artistes remains unquestionable. After the initial prayers marking the commencement of Ramlila every year, its exile for cigarettes, liquor bottles and so many other things. “Even the backstage artistes — stage directors and stage setters included, refuse to puff and make merry during these ten days,” says veteran stage actor Randhir Singh Thakur. Associated with Ramlila for almost four decades now and with all major roles to his credit, Thakur says the performers do not even walk up the stage with slippers on. Smoking is strictly prohibited even for spectators. If you wish to smoke, you got to move out of the pergola. Inebriated crowd is not allowed to come even in the stage’s vicinity. No one really abuses. Lies are decried. It’s pious all around, undoubtedly. Involved in the make-up process this time, Thakur started playing the roles when he was putting up in Sector 29. Now, he has moved on to Baltana. The distance to stage has increased physically, but the larger-than-life classic is still very close to his heart. No wonder, it really does not take you by surprise when he says even worldly worries of earning bread from the sweat of the brow take a backseat as the artistes assign themselves fully to the task of “preserving and propagating the rich cultural, traditional and mythological heritage”. Thakur himself is logged on to online trading, but “work really does not matter as stage takes the top priority”. “For these ten-days or so, Ramlila is our full time occupation. Other things can wait for appropriate moment,” he asserts with a smile. It’s almost the same with Manoj Kumar Sharma. Working as a sub inspector with Punjab Police, the nature of his job does not permit him to ignore his duties. But while handling the heavenly responsibility of playing Lord Hanuman’s virtuous role, he even prefers to sleep on the floor. Ask him and he says, Jai
Sia-Ram. |
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The silver screen is all set to launch the babas and babies of Bollywood
Successful or not, time will tell but their parents are leaving no stone unturned to announce the arrival of their children. Chirpy Neetu Singh, who quit acting to look after her home and kids, is now back in limelight, courtesy Ranbir Kapoor aka the Saawariya boy. Arm-in-arm with hubby, she is almost everywhere, Star’s Voice Of India to Koffee With Karan. Now, as parents this is the least they can do — Be a celeb guest on a reality show, hear budding singers and then talk about their budding actor-son and his flick. Giving the couple company was the Kapoor khandaan at the launch party of Saawariya. They were present in huge numbers and sizes to encourage their star kid. Well, where was the clan at the time of Lolo and Bebo, one wonders. Anil Kapoor’s wifey, the never seen before Sunita Kapoor too got all specially dressed at the launch party of Saawariya. After all, it was the day for the launch of her li’l angel, Sonam Kapoor. A celebrated actor with his USP of staying away from pomp and show, Sanjay Leela Bhansali too has joined the launch bandwagon. He can’t help, but sing sweet songs about his leading pair. So much so, that he has gone as far as saying that Ranbir is the best actor he has worked with. Now, now, Mr. Bhansali hold your comments for later. Who knows who might be listening. Rewind a little, remember how a few months back all Big B would talk about was how good Abhishek was in Guru and how he could not have done justice to the role. The entire family joined hands to campaign for their much-flopped son’s attempt to resurrect his career. Also roped in the blowing your own trumpet drive is the indomitable Dharmendra, who seems to have adopted Neil Nitin Mukesh for giving his career a boost. Neil Nitin has broken the family league of singing and picked up acting as a profession. Now, Dharam ji, how about the career of your sons? And Dharmendra is not alone when it comes to showering praises on budding stars outside their lineage. Farah Khan and SRK can’t stop talking about their discovery, Deepika Padukone. Courtesy them, she even got a ticket to Koffee with Karan. And you thought that there’s a huge list of QR to make it in the tinsel town. Well, not if you were born into a celeb family or know the right people. For once there, you can say anything, the world is waiting to listen to your, I would like to thank speech. |
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Write to Renee
I am a 28-year-old guy working in a private firm. I am attracted to a girl who works in my office. I feel that she is also attracted to me but neither of us wants to make the first move. If I approach her and she rebuffs me it will become difficult for me to face her in the office everyday. I am in a dilemma and my work has started suffering. I feel stressed at office, and can’t deal with the situation. Please help.
Harjinder
Singh, Patiala
You are really unnecessarily stressing yourself. Life is about having the courage and attitude to just be yourself. Yes it could just be your imagination working overtime, that makes you feel that the girl likes you. But where is the harm in reaching out and telling her. Ask her out for coffee. In case she rebuffs you, just learn to take it in your stride. Your work should not suffer due to your lack of decision-making. Life is about taking chances and waiting for positive outcomes. Do not worry you have a wonderful future. I am a 24-year-old girl suffering from self-esteem problems. I have been in a serious relationship twice but it didn’t work because I go into a kind of depression. I have been on therapy, but it does not help. I have spent long hours agonising over incidents that hurt me, that I get de-moralised and depressed and wish I had someone to rely on. How should I handle my life.
Simaoma Bhardwaj, Chandigarh You need to spend some time in introspection. What are the patterns in life you are dealing with? Are they fear, guilt or may be a deep-rooted childhood resentment. I think you need to express yourself instead of carrying so much blocked emotion within you. Once you have learnt to deal with your childhood anger and hurt you will break free of your negative pattern which is giving you a low self esteem. With a clearer mind and heart you will attract a better relationship. which will give you emotional courage and strength. I am a 36-year-old woman married for 12 years, with 2 kids. My husband and I have no compatibility. He hangs out in stag parties and comes home quite high. I’m unable to make him change his ways. I think he is a bad influence on my children who look up to him. I do not want to say anything negative about him in front of the children as they will loose respect for him. He has become abusive and I feel I can’t cope with him any more. Please help. Rachita Sood,
Mohali Life is all about finding the strength within. You have to be clear in your mind how you want to deal with your life. If you want to continue to live with him despite his waywardness then you can help him by taking him to a de-addiction centre etc. But if you think you do not have the emotional strength to handle it anymore give your self some time. Think about things with clarity. The correct solution will come only with a calm mind. Do not worry life has something good in store for you.
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Rhyme with Reason
But then, have you ever thought how meaningless these rhymes your kids may find? And they would be right too. As that’s what they precisely are — meaningless and violent. Violent, because if you ever stop to think, most of such rhymes paint a negative, if not a gory picture — Jack breaking his crown and Jill coming tumbling after, Humpty Dumpty having a great fall and even the Master telling the Pretty Maid that he would not marry her because she has no other fortune than her face! If you are one of those who advocate the cause of non-violence by shunning violent cartoons like Tom and Jerry or Popeye, it’s time to think about these age-old nursery characters too. According to a psychological study conducted by the University of Waterloo researchers, getting into the minds of story characters is not a difficult task for children below five. It says that pre-nursery kids can get immersed in the life of a character, especially a character’s thoughts and feelings. And even our city-based psychologists admit that it’s high time to remodel these nursery rhymes. “Though printed words do not affect the tender minds as much as images do, it will be more relevant for us to teach pre-nursery students what is today-specific,” says city-based psychologist Rajshree Sarda. The good news is, our city schools are wising up to these facts and have already brought about major changes in their curriculum. “No doubt that these poems are redundant in today’s time but then, even Jack and Jill or Humpty Dumpty can be taught in a positive way. For example, if we are teaching Humpty Dumpty to a three-year-old, the message that should go across is that one is not supposed to sit on a wall because it’s not safe,” says Poonam Sharma, principal of Ryan International School-49. As far as Ryan is concerned, they believe in doing things differently. “We have our own rhyme collection with emphasis on action words, colour and forms, which are closely related to day-to-day life. All said and done, rhymes are important to increase a child’s vocabulary and also bring about energised body movements,” she adds. Another person who believes in doing things differently is Atul Khanna of Strawberry Fields International School-26. “We came under criticism when we decided to do away with these meaningless Jack and Jill rhymes and have our own fun songs for the pre-nursery children. But in order to make learning a joyful experience, we insisted on having our brand of rhymes which are meaningful, fun and relevant,” he says. If you are under the impression that it’s only the fancy schools, which are bold enough to discard the old conventional rhymes for their own, you are wrong. Even schools like DAV are following suit. “Jack and Jills are completely outdated. We have picked some nice ones like Johnny Jhonny from the old lot. But, a majority of the rhymes we teach to our children are written and composed by own teachers. In the process, we are teaching real things like vegetables and colours,” says Rakesh Sachdeva, principal of DAV-15. Well, saying goodbye to Jacks and Johnnys may symbolise that we have stepped out of the era of innocence when one would recite Jack and Jill without labelling it as a positive or negative and are now living under the ‘environmental conditioning’ of categorising everything as good or bad, positive or negative. But then, is it not what life is all about —making changes and living them too?
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Matka chowk
I was at the Sector 17 football stadium on Sunday – enjoying an interschool football match between two local girls school. Sitting under a shady tree and soaking in the new autumn breeze, while watching a nail-biting match, I was struck by the realisation that a lot of our city dwellers have no idea what treasures abound in our city. A full size football stadium, right in the heart of the city, free of garbage (in fact, the ground was spotlessly clean) and ruffians, where matches can be held for children in peace and safely — very few cities can boast of such a feat.
Many Chandigarh residents, who have not been to some of our ‘mega’ cities, don’t realise that the colour green as naturally occurring in chlorophyll is a rare site for many. And the acres and acres of maidan, here and there, as we see in Chandigarh is a virtual miracle! Throw in some beautiful gardens and a priceless lake – this would win even the most controversial SMS race for junta’s votes. There are many things that still take place in our city. Plants that too, the flowering kind, are still planted on municipal roads meant for public. Road improvement does not take an eternity, potholes are actually filled before the next rainy season hits the city and road dividers are built when needed. The municipal trucks still make regular rounds. We have city workers – who actually do the job of chopping the overgrown trees, that too before the trees have captured the entire road. When street lamps go off, complaints can be made and are addressed, most of the times. The parks are mowed when needed, extra sweepers are brought in when festivals arrive. Sector 17 goes through periodic facelifts. The footpaths are duly cleared of hawkers and beggars – although, it’s a shame when the secondhand bookwallas pick up their goods and run at the sight of the approaching police. One of these boys amazed me by his book knowledge – he knew correctly who wrote the The world is flat. But, cities are not and Chandigarh can easily claim to be a queen supreme. Sometimes I forget how clean the city is – till I look at the roads in some other cities. Chandigarh has raised my yardstick. I find too many verandahs too small, too many roads congested, too many parks plebian. I have become an aristocrat when it comes to city standards. However, when I travel to other cities, I do keep my mouth shut when residents go into raptures over gardens that could not even hold a candle to some of our chowks. Now that the air has a hit of a nip and everyone is smiling broadly, we need to remember all the reasons to rejoice, besides the triumph of good over evil. |
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They have two things in common — first, all three are Defence Officers’ wives and they share a love for anything arty. So, the natural progression in the friendship was to explore the third angle — entrepreneurship, and when they found it among themselves, they came up with this company called Genesis that deals with interior designing and art work.
Dilnavaz Maindarkar with her 30 years of experience as an Army wife is adept at making homes out of tens and ramshackle bashes. Starting with her own homes, she graduated into decorating her friends’ houses and Army messes. She is equally proficient in painting with oil on canvass as her medium. Charu Mudholkar’s forte is murals, embossing, ceramics and paintings. A freelance writer for leading newspapers, Charu is known for her landscaping talent. The third of the group is Sarita Bhate, who has done her masters in Fine Arts from Rajasthan University. Wife of an Air Force pilot, Sarita has done the decors of many professional assignments all over the country. Genesis will hold its first-ever two-day exhibition of paintings and foil embossing at Hotel Aroma-22.
— TNS On October 21, 22
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Film & Fashion
Katie not pregnant Katie Holmes has laughed off rumours that she and hubby Tom Cruise will soon be on diaper duty once again. Holmes has the rumour mills buzzing when she wore a high-volume Balenciaga gown at a Berlin airport recently. However, her rep insists that the actress is not pregnant with her second child as yet. But according to a pal, the couple have not ruled out more babies. The friend revealed that Holmes has already been talking about having more babies with her famous hubby. Dreaming old days British model Sophie Dahl says that can’t wait to get old. The 31-year-old said she was not afraid about the prospect of getting old and rather relished it. She added that she had an alternative career as an author to fall back on when she grows old. “I can’t wait to be an old biddy. I’ll be like the Duchess Devonshire stomping around my country house in filthy wellies, gathering my organic eggs,” she said. “I’ll have extravagant house parties where we’re all out in the garden drinking wine and capering in circles while huge candles flicker around the lawn,” she said. Spicy makeover Pop singer Victoria Beckham is preparing to reveal a new look as the Spice Girls reunion draws near. “My hair just feels so luminous at the moment. I had this colour (blonde) done in LA when it was really bright and sunny. Now I go back to the UK and it’s a bit overcast and cold and I’m glowing in the dark. We shoot our new Spice Girls video next week and it’s time for a change. Let’s just say it’ll be quite different.” She also revealed that the other Spice Girls — Ginger, Sporty, Baby and Scary — will have five costume changes during their upcoming tour on December 2. Sienna dating Rhys Actress Sienna Miller has finally ended all speculation about her new romantic interest, actor Rhys Ifans, by admitting that she is dating him. The Factory Girl star insisted for months that she and Ifans are just good friends. However, at the after-show party of her new film Interview, the 25-year-old actress introduced the 39-year-old actor as her boyfriend to her pals. Oprah’s problem Popular talk show host Oprah Winfrey has blamed a thyroid problem for her recent weight gain of 20 pounds (9 kg). Winfrey believes her thyroid problem is to blame for her fluctuating weight and also leaves her ‘sluggish, exhausted and stressed’. She said: “First hyperthyroidism, which sped up my metabolism and left me unable to sleep. Most people lose weight, I didn’t. Then hypothyroidism, which made me want to sleep all the time. Most people gain weight, I did. Twenty pounds!” Kim not wild Kim Kardashian has defended her wild child image by insisting that she’s not at all a party lover, and doesn’t even touch alcohol. In a recent interview, the socialite, who is the cover girl for Playboy, said she is very different from what people generally think. “Everyone thinks that I am this wild party girl and that I get drunk and dance on tables, but I don’t even drink alcohol,” she said.
— Agencies |
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Aiming Tall
You have seen him in numerous shows, sometimes with Vivek Shaq and mostly with Jagtar Jaggi, and his serial Patake Thaa. His antics have been a part of movies like Jee Aaiya Nu, Aasan Nu mann Watna Da and Mein Tu Aasi Tusi providing comic relief to the otherwise heavy scripts. But his biggest moment came when the Deol family signed him for their home production Apne. “I played the role of a servant, a comic one as usual. But it was fun working with Dharmendra, Sunny and Bobby Deol,” he says. Amrit tagged along the family to Mumbai and Indore. “It was great fun. Besides acting together, we played a lot of cricket when we were not shooting. We all bonded so well,” Amrit recalls. Apne opened a whole lot of opportunity for Amrit. “I have recently got an offer to work in Vipul Shah’s film Singh is King.” He is not sure about his role, but looking forward to be a part of the project. So what is his USP as a comedian? “Picking up the cue from the situation and putting it in a funny way so that everybody can relate to it. Where my dialogues fail, my body supplements,” he says. Good things do come in small packages!
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After the success of Biggest Loser Jeetega, SaharaOne is presenting another international format – Singing with the Stars, called Jhoom India. Ten dynamic jodis of popular television actors paired with professional playback singers will get together in the hope to make some beautiful music. Judged by a jury consisting Mahesh Bhatt, Shabana Azmi, Anandji (music composer), the show will follow a bi-weekly format. Every week the Judges select the top three jodis following an SMS poll. The 3rd jodi selects the 4th and the 4th selects the 5th and so on. The last Jodi remaining gets eliminated. The show will be hosted by Rahul Vaidya and Sucheta Khanna. Shweta Tiwari - Suresh Wadkar, Shekhar Suman-Sanjeevani, Roshni Chopra - Vinod Rathod, Mrinal Kulkarni-Sudesh Bhosale will participate in the 13-week musical ride. — TNS
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A leading British microbiologist has warned that ‘ready-to-eat’ food products are not devoid of the risk of salmonella infection, and suggested that consumers wash the packaged contents again before eating them. Professor John Threlfall says incidences of salmonella infections, which are associated with ready-to-eat salads and herbs, have been rising. —ANI
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First day first show
Together, they churn out Speed, which quickly reminds you of Kim Basinger starrer, Cellular. Going a step further, the duo take desi battles to pardes. Foreign turf is turned into a battleground for conspiracies and political skullduggery of indigenous variety. People get kidnapped in ludicrous ways and strangers are goaded into action in the most implausible manner. A sulking ex-RAW agent, Kabir Khan (Aftab Shivdasani), along with Miss Thunder Thighs, Sophia, kidnaps Richa (Urmila Matondkar) and Bobby, wife and son, respectively, of a chef, Siddharth (Sanjay Suri), who also doubles up as an MI 5 agent to force him to commit a dastardly crime at the behest of an ambitious son of a powerful politician. The damsel in distress, Richa, is able to contact a stranger, Sandeep (Zayed Khan) on his cellphone. Her implorations for help strike the right chord and Sandeep who has come to London to woo back his girlfriend, Sanjana (Tanushree Dutta), turns chivalrous and makes it his mission to rescue the woman and her son. His ladylove also reluctantly joins him in the crusade. In between, there is a stiff-necked security officer, Rohan Nath (Ashish Chowdhury) who has been won over by the ex-sleuth-turned terrorist Khan with liberal doses of cocaine and is now part of the plot to kill the visiting Indian Prime Minister. Their lives will change forever in six hours. But those of the audience do in less than two. They dangle between shock and disbelief as they watch the Prime Minister eavesdrop on the security officer and order him to celebrate his fiancee’s birthday; the son of the Prime Minister threatening to sue the London police for lax security; and the hirsute ultra mouthing inanities in a ramshackle stable which looks more like a Pune locale than a London setting. Sensing that the rumblings of an impending fiasco are getting pronounced by the minute, the audience speedily heads for the exit. Showing at: Fun Republic, Batra
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Dussehra’s all set to present a picture of blown up pleasure in the festive season of 2007. Wondering how? Well, this time more than just the three symbols of evil will go up in smoke. Five more effigies will be blown apart. And, from the ashes of the evil will rise hope for an auspicious year.
Fresh faces, unfamiliar names, slight resemblance to yesteryear stars and popular last names. Last, they were spotted clutching their mommies’ hand or applauding excitedly at an award function. Meet the fresh brigade of new kids on the block. Children of superstars, they are now geared to create their own stardom. Born with a silver spoon, with a director as an Uncle and an actor Aunt who got them goodies, these star sons and daughters are being launched in rather an opulent way. A couch potato, or not, you couldn’t have missed the proud parents going ga-ga over their little ones.
Your child has barely learnt to say papa and mama, but as an over-enthusiast, you cannot wait to teach him Jack and Jill or Humpty Dumpty. Of course, it is a pleasure to see your child doing all those actions, which your parents made you do in an effort to keep you engaged in a conversation, whenever some guests turned up at your place.
It looks like Britney Spears has landed herself in hot water again, after she ran her car over a photographer’s foot. The incidents purportedly took place when the beleaguered pop star was leaving a Beverly Hills medical building. Spears honks, and her car moves forward, apparently driving on a paparazzo’s foot. The mum of two stops her vehicle and the group of photographers wave her on and she leaves the place. When the snapper is asked if he is fine, he doesn’t reply. Though the man walks off without evident problem, he later found that his foot was broken.
Ask him what is the essence of his comedy and pat comes the reply — “Half body and half language”. And looking at 4’- 4” tall Amrit Pal with a shy expression and ready wit, the meaning drives home.
Speed